'Jasprit Bumrah a promising diamond of India': Ex-India star warns critics 'open your mouth carefully'

India pacer Jasprit Bumrah (PTI Photo)

Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has taken aim at those who criticize Jasprit Bumrah and cautioned them against making disparaging remarks about the premier pacer. Since the England trip, when he missed a couple of Tests to manage his workload, Bumrah has been under continual pressure. Some former cricketers have criticized him for playing only certain matches. Furthermore, when India lost both of the games in which he played, a comparable narrative surfaced, implying that the squad tends to struggle when he is on the field.

Kaif highlighted Bumrah's ability to alter the game on his own and cited the number of games he has previously won for India. “Open your mouth carefully because you mentioned that whatever matches we played in England, we lost when he (Jasprit Bumrah) played. You better look at how many matches he has played and India won them, go and find out that as well, regardless of the format. When he plays, how many times does he give match-winning performances? Go and find that stat as well. Bumrah is a promising diamond of India. You don’t report him. There are no stains on him," Kaif said on his YouTube channel.

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The top pacer has been picked up in the Asia Cup T20I team, where he will spearhead the bowling attack in the UAE. Kaif emphasized that workload management shouldn't be a problem during the Asia Cup and supported Bumrah's role in white-ball cricket. He maintained that the 31-year-old can easily manage 28 overs during the competition and his ability to win matches makes him an invaluable member of India's shortest format team.

“I already said that Bumrah might not be seen playing long in Tests, but in white-ball cricket, if India comes in the [Asia Cup] final, then he might play seven games. He will bowl 28 overs, and I am speaking about a two or three-week-long tournament. There is no problem in bowling 28 overs; he will get time to recover. You can rest him in one odd match against Oman or weaker teams. After workload management and a break, he will be used. I think he won’t face any issues in bowling four overs. You need Bumrah in T20 because he can change the course of the game with his bowling,” he added.